Vientiane

I'm back. Feels good to be back here. It's grown up so much in two years! It's still the dusty little provincial capital it's always been, but so many new posh little bars and restaurants. Still completely dwarfed by giant cities like Bangkok and Rangoon, but the money is starting to flow here.

Siobhan's here, a good friend who I met here two years ago who happens to be back at the same time. We've been having a good laugh. Tomorrow I'm going to get to work again, start making a plan for what material I need to gather here and figure out hopw to get it. I'm thinking of volunteering for some NGO for a while as a means of getting reacquainted and inserted into the culture here. Trying to remember to speak what little bit of Lao I once knew.

Happy to be back in Laos. My patience for backpacker loafing has worn thin. For now.

New poll that I'll also be conducting: "Now, why exactly are you traveling? And don't give me any of that, 'I want to experience foreign cultures' crap. Of course that's part of it; now give me the real answer. " Without being rude of course. And, in return, I'm certain I'll be required to answer the same question in return.